Archives for June 2012

Peacocks have not always borne the beautiful feathers for which they are renowned. Neither has the Crow always worn a splendid blue-black coat.

According to an ancient Chinese fable, one day the two friends were resting by a river when Lord Tiger arrived to invite them to his wedding.

“I am embarrassed to go to the feast looking so plain,” admitted Peacock.

“I have an idea,” said the ever-clever Crow. “Look there at the palace being built for the King. The workmen are painting it. Let’s sneak over and decorate ourselves with the pots of paint.”

Crow took hold of a paintbrush and quickly painted Peacock’s long train. He added in shining dragons’ eyes as well. Peacock proudly stretched out his new feathers to dry, spreading them so he could see their reflection in the river. He felt so magnificent in his new outfit that he immediately strutted off to the wedding without even a backwards glance at his friend Crow. Crow, flustered and not wanting to be left out of the festivities, jumped into the first can of paint he saw – alas, black – and ran to catch up with Peacock.

The two birds kept their new colors and have been squabbling about that day ever since in the screechy, raucous voices for which they are known.

😉

Cute story, eh? If you want to read more about peacocks, here is some fascinating information about the bird that apparently most closely resembles the legendary phoenix, and the true story as to how peacocks became the “totem” for the Academy of Ancient Reflexology.

A quote in the article that I wrote about in Reflexology and Osteopathy? brought a smile to my face. Credited to Dr. Fred Mitchell, DO, in a forward he wrote to one of the seminal books written on osteopathy, Mitchell states, “Bizarre combinations of reflexes may be impossible to explain with our present knowledge. Treat what you find…not what you are looking for!” [i]

I couldn’t agree more. I repeatedly instruct reflexology students to find reflexes to work with their hands, not their memory of the location of reflexes. Treat what you find, rather than set out on a “search and destroy” mission for some reflex associated with your client’s health complaint. Instead, meet your client in the tissue, practice stillness and awareness together, and then watch the real magic occur!

I read a thought-provoking article this afternoon, adapted from the book Reflexognosy: A Shift in Paradigm. In it, the author, Christine Issel, argues that reflexology is more closely aligned with osteopathy than massage therapy, because of their common interpretation of and focus on reflexes and the reflex arc.

In the practice of osteopathy, reflexes are considered useful for three purposes, two of which are shared with reflexology:

Influencing the motion of fluids, especially lymph, and

Influencing the functioning of the organs through the nervous system.

There also seems to be a common recognition by both disciplines of the communication that occurs between reflexes of the soft tissue and the endocrine system and the necessity of relaxation of the musculature to promote balance in the body.

Anyway, it’s a very interesting article, with ideas well worth entertaining. I expect that the book is equally engaging. Information on how to pick up a copy is listed below.

Looking at my calendar this afternoon, I see that I will be sharing a lot of my hard-earned money with the airlines over the next few months!

It appears that I’m scheduled to teach the Thai Foot Reflexology workshop in four corners of the continent. Three of the four cities are new locations for me; three of the trainings are within the standard 2-day workshop format, and one is offered as part of a 4-day retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. (I’ve written a separate post to describe what is planned for our relaxing mountain retreat.)

Over the last few months, I’ve been noticing that more and more people are getting savvy about Thai bodywork. My clients who used to request the session occasionally are asking for it more and more. These clients include runners, elders with painful feet and calves, highly stressed business men, and a woman recovering from a near-death illness that left her with numerous health challenges.

Every few years, I like to organize a reflexology retreat; an opportunity to leisurely learn something new and relax, rejuvenate and renew in a gorgeous setting. This year’s will be no exception, and has the added benefit of being within driving distance for many folks.

The Thai Reflexology Retreat will take place in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. Our host for four awesome autumn days will be the renown Dahlonega Spa Resort (owned by the same folks that hosted my retreat in Costa Rica).

Classes are broken up over August 31 to September 3, so as to allow plenty of time to rest and/or explore the surrounding area.

I have stayed at the resort twice in the last couple of years and left both times feeling like a new person. With great difficulty, I managed to shake myself loose from the spa and my front porch rocking chair to venture off the panoramic property. I explored the scenic area and scouted out some really fun things for us to do. (Hey, somebody had to do it!)

Please visit this link to read about the workshop, accommodations, on-site amenities and local attractions. All-inclusive prices are very reasonable; a $300 deposit assures your opportunity to treat yourself to a well-deserved break and learn the popular Thai Reflexology protocol. You can even bring a non-participating guest with you!

Ever had a client who asked for more pressure overall than you can comfortably deliver? Here’s a simple solution that will meet the client’s need and protect your thumbs:

Every time you “step into” the tissue as you walk the plantar surface of the foot, use your supporting hand (on the dorsal side of the foot) to pull the foot closer to your body and your working thumb. That way you come into the tissue with your thumb and wrap the tissue around the thumb at the same time. More depth, less effort.

PS. If you lean forward with your body as you perform this two-pronged move, and then lean back as you straighten your thumb to move forward on the foot, you will initiate a soothing rocking experience for yourself.

A conversation yesterday with a close friend regarding essential oil safety during pregnancy helped me see how much misinformation is out there. I decided that you might benefit from knowing how the word “contraindication” became associated with pregnancy (and other conditions) and aromatherapy.

Early research regarding the therapeutic use of plant essences was carried out in France, a country in which aromatherapy is a regulated practice. A medical license is required in France to prescribe, dispense and use aromatherapy, because oils are introduced orally, vaginally and rectally. Studies were conducted by introducing the oils into the internal environment of the body, not from external application. It was this protocol that produced the results that classified some essential oils as contraindicated for certain conditions.

Those initial studies determined that essential oils should not be administered orally during any stage of a pregnancy (unless under the supervision of a qualified medical doctor trained in aromatherapy and with great caution), due to the small molecular size of oils allowing for passage of the oils across the placenta and the blood-brain barrier of the fetus. Rectal and vaginal administration is also discouraged, since these routes can deliver at least as much oil to the fetus as can oral administration.

In North America, we limit our professional use of essential oils to inhalation and external applications, so things are a little different here. (Oral delivery of essential oils would fall under the license of practicing medicine.) Topical delivery (as in massage lotions and creams) should be kept to a 1% or 2% dilution: 5 to 8 drops/oz of carrier or 10 to 12 drops/oz. Keep in mind also, that only a very few essential oils should be applied directly to the skin; most should be mixed in a carrier oil, lotion, cream or butter, so as to avoid potentially serious skin irritations.

Below is a list of essential oils that should be avoided during pregnancy. There are a few others that I have not listed, since they are rather unfamiliar oils. To see the full list and read more about essential oil safety with pregnancy and other conditions, please refer to Essential Oil Safety – A Guide for Health Care Professionals, a definitive book written by Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs. This book is a must if you want to add aromatherapy to your reflexology or massage business.

I hope this article clears up yet another myth regarding pregnancy. If you are interested in learning about the properties of some common essential oils, safety guidelines and how to make your own products, please refer to yesterday’s post, A Surprise Offer, for a last-minute class, with a one-time-only, very low price.

I received a phone call yesterday from a woman from Arkansans, who will be in St. Augustine next week visiting family. She really wants to do a training with me – anything. I’m flattered and want to make it work for her. Of course, it’s cost-prohibitive to do a private class, so I came up with an idea.

I negotiated a lower rate with one of my venues for next Saturday – June 9 and can offer a reduced price of $90 to anyone who would like to attend the 1-day Reflexology and Essential Oils – The Perfect Marriage class.

You don’t have to be a bodyworker to attend. Although we will discuss specific conditions that reflexologists might be presented with, some past attendees have chosen to make products for massage clients or just for themselves. You can read a description of the class here.

I need at least 5 others to sign up in order to make it work, and must have commitments by Wednesday. It’s a good deal – I have never discounted my classes – so, give me a call if you are interested. 904/553.4067

The 6-hour Reflexology Rocks! class is perfect for those of you who have taken weekend reflexology workshops (hands or feet) or the Therapeutic Hand & Foot Reflexology Professional Certification – and want to “kick it up a notch”, as they say in the cooking world.

In this short class you will learn how to:

safely use hot and cold mineral stones (basalt, marble and soapstone) in either a hand or foot reflexology session;

utilize Himalayan salt crystal stones to reduce the effects of harmful electro-magnetic frequencies on the body;